Latch.



J. E. BROOKER.

LATGH. APPLIOATION PILBD PBB.'11, 1911.

Patented Aug.

JOHN E. BROOKER, OF VAN METER, IOWA.

LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

Application filed February 11, 1911. Serial No. 607,992.

To all whom 'itimay concem:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. BRooKnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Van Meter, in the county'of Madison and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches; and do hereby deolare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. w

This invention relatesto new and useful improvements in latches, and more particularly to that class adapted to be used in connection with a gate.

An object of this invention is to improve and simplify devices of this Character, rendering them comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and eificient in use, and readily operated.

VVith the. above and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinat-ions and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved gate latch; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numerals 1 and 2 designate generally a pair of gate posts, upon the former of which is hinged, as indicated by the numeral 3, a gate 4 of any customary construction, comprising end rails 5 and 6, connected at their upper and lower ends by cross bars 7. A suitable catch 8 is secured to the inner edge of the gate post 2, and lies in the path of a latch 9, pivoted, by a bolt 10, at its intermediate portion to one of the palings 11 and has interposed between its front face and the head of the bolt, a spring to force the said latch toward the gate and into engagement with a seat 18 to be hereinafter described. The forward end of this latch 9 is apertured, as at 12, and has connected to the outer face thereof and to an eye 13 secured to the end rail of the gate adjacent the lower end thereof, a spring 14, which serves to hold the latch 9 into engagement with the catch 8.

An Operating lever 15 is pivoted to one of the palings 11 at a point in spaced relation to the rear end thereof, and is apertured at its forward end, as indicated by 16, whereby the same may be connected by means of a link 17 to the aperture 12 located in the latch 9.

A wedge-shaped downwardly tapered rest 18 is located upon the end rail 6 of the gate 4, and is adapted to engage the latch 9 and hold it in its raised position when the gate is opened by means of the connection of the Operating lever 15 and the spring 14.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing, the gate, when in its closed position, is spaced slightly inward from the gate posts, and when the gate is being swung to this closed position, it will obviously strike against the latch 9, forcing the same from the seat 18, and through the medium of the spring 14, cause it to engage the catch 8.

On account of the extension of the latch 9 and Operating lever 15 beyond the pivoted points on opposite sides thereof, the same will be prevented from any undesired swinging movement which might prevent the successful operation of the same.

From the foregoing disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that a gate latch is provided for which will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such a device.

The foregoing disclosure illustrates my improved latch as applied to a gate and a gate post, but it is to be understood that the device is not limited to such use alone, but may be applied to any other object to which the use of the same might be adapted.

Having thus fully described this invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a gate and a gate post, a catch mounted on said gate post, a bolt attached to said gate, a latch pivoted on said bolt for engagement with the catch, a wedge-shaped seat located upon the gate in the path of the latch, a lever connected with said lzttch Whereby the same may be contact With the gate post substantally as 10 raised into engagement With the seat, a set forth.

spring mounted between the head of the said In testmony Whereof I aflix my signature blt and thel lalth to force tle said latch olto in presence of two Wtnesses. v

t e seat to' 10 it n rase oston an a spring connecting the latch Wi th the ate for JOHN E' BROOKER' the Purpose of throwng the said latch into Witnesses: 1

engagement with the catch When the same is J. P. STEELE,

raised from the Wedge-shaped seat by its JozELL SEEVERS.

Copes of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressng' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

